Designer sets sights on untapped transgender community

Via NY Post: LeoRoux hopes to make his mark in the fashion world by catering to a very specific demographic: the transgender community.

The designer is readying his collection that he promises will offer a better fit than the clothes currently at retail — whether “pre-op, post-op or no-op.”

There are 1.4 million adults in the US who identify as transgender, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law.

“A lot of transgender people who want to present masculine have to shop in the boys department, and that does not match up with what an adult would want to wear,” said Roux, 31, who was born female, named Louise and transitioned to male in 2012. “We are altering the proportions of clothing,” Roux said.

His Seattle-based company is joining a handful, but growing number of apparel businesses catering to the transgender community, including Chrysalis a 3-year-old lingerie company, and Saint Harridan, which makes masculine clothing for women and transmen.

Leo Roux, which will sell T-shirts, pants, shorts, dresses and blouses, is holding a pre-sale later this month to fund its first manufacturing order.

The duds aren’t cheap — with jeans costing around $70 and T-shirts around $30. Nothing will cost more than $100.

Roux is hoping carving a niche in the casual clothing sector, where there is a dearth of offerings. “A lot of online companies are aimed at crossdressers, and that clothing has a big night club performance feel,” Roux said. “But a lot of transgender people are living their lives in the open now rather than hiding it away.”